Getting it, one bit at a time
I've moved up quite a few places in the paceline, and moved behind Ruri again:-) Still she has a better top speed when doing one lap burn so I have to move before her when doing that drill, but it shows her that I'm not easily giving up my position and she has to try to get it back. In fact all three midgets have to get their position back from me and they better try hard!
Here is a list of things that I believe helped me as the season progressed
- left foot only drill in the beginning of the season: I begin to kind of throw my body over my left foot (left and front) when doing this exercise and I begin to feel the left leg push. This drill builds up my left leg strength and muscle memory which allowed my progress later.
- left leg grab and push under: once you can throw yourself over your left foot, this drill just magnifies your left leg power box, you are now fully extending the left leg during under push.
- hands on your back at high speed entry into corner: I was doing good with all these circle drills above (left leg stuff) but when I carry a high speed into the corner, none of those forms I learned during circle drill works, because (1) it is at a lower speed (2) it is done when you already had the lean. When you go into corner with high speed you are transition into the lean from a more upright posture. Putting hands on my back forces me to get the lean right all through the corner because there is no arm swing to correct my unbalance at any point of the corner.
- track adjustment: once I become comfortable going into a corner high speed with hands behind my back, my left leg push become stronger as I'm (and had to) be perfect on edge, which makes push very consistent and strong. This is when I started noticing track pattern. I begin to coming out of the corner more gradually (not shotting to the wall then go straight) and start leaning gradually earlier. This make my pattern more like an oval then two half circles linked by two straight lines. This made my lap much more efficient and I felt the sensation of cruising. No more jerky movement to lean into corner, and struggle to accelerate out of the corner. My lap becomes a big smoother oval. I felt great, I no longer get nervous getting into the corner, and following the elite skaters becomes easier. I'm hoping to get down to lower 10s by the end of the season.
Talked a lot of this to Ruri, and she begin to see my point and how I'm experimenting to figure out a way that suits my style and build. This is really cool, especially when I get yelled at by the coach when I tried to do hands behind my back, but I didn't give up and the results said it all. I hope she will learn how to figure things out herself, and not be afraid to experiment, and not be afraid to try things against authority, that include what I tell her.
Here is a list of things that I believe helped me as the season progressed
- left foot only drill in the beginning of the season: I begin to kind of throw my body over my left foot (left and front) when doing this exercise and I begin to feel the left leg push. This drill builds up my left leg strength and muscle memory which allowed my progress later.
- left leg grab and push under: once you can throw yourself over your left foot, this drill just magnifies your left leg power box, you are now fully extending the left leg during under push.
- hands on your back at high speed entry into corner: I was doing good with all these circle drills above (left leg stuff) but when I carry a high speed into the corner, none of those forms I learned during circle drill works, because (1) it is at a lower speed (2) it is done when you already had the lean. When you go into corner with high speed you are transition into the lean from a more upright posture. Putting hands on my back forces me to get the lean right all through the corner because there is no arm swing to correct my unbalance at any point of the corner.
- track adjustment: once I become comfortable going into a corner high speed with hands behind my back, my left leg push become stronger as I'm (and had to) be perfect on edge, which makes push very consistent and strong. This is when I started noticing track pattern. I begin to coming out of the corner more gradually (not shotting to the wall then go straight) and start leaning gradually earlier. This make my pattern more like an oval then two half circles linked by two straight lines. This made my lap much more efficient and I felt the sensation of cruising. No more jerky movement to lean into corner, and struggle to accelerate out of the corner. My lap becomes a big smoother oval. I felt great, I no longer get nervous getting into the corner, and following the elite skaters becomes easier. I'm hoping to get down to lower 10s by the end of the season.
Talked a lot of this to Ruri, and she begin to see my point and how I'm experimenting to figure out a way that suits my style and build. This is really cool, especially when I get yelled at by the coach when I tried to do hands behind my back, but I didn't give up and the results said it all. I hope she will learn how to figure things out herself, and not be afraid to experiment, and not be afraid to try things against authority, that include what I tell her.
posted by Unicycle @ 9:34 PM
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